RememberSchiff

Update: http://www.southwesttimes.com/2015/05/lake-powhatan-returning-in-time-for-camp/ This past week, Blue Ridge Mountain Council received permission from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation to start filling the lake after long needed repairs to the lake’s dam were completed. That work has been going on since March, as construction crews removed the concrete from the dam’s old spillway, excavated, hauled dirt and installed rebar. ... The project to repair the dam received support from Pulaski County businesses such as H.T. Bowling Inc., JWB Contractors, Chandler Concrete, and Gregory Seeding. In addition to providing financial help, most of those businesses donated manpower and supplies, as well as general consultation for dam improvements. ... Private parties also donated over $50,000 to help cover repair costs, which were estimated at $260,000. Blue Ridge Mountain Council turned to crowd funding to help raise project finances through a campaign on www.gofundme.com/powhatan. ... The lake at Camp Powhatan is fed by Max Creek, which then flows from the dam into a community below, therefore classifying the lake as “high hazard.†Although the lake was completely dry last month, Johnson said he was optimistic that the repairs would be finished in time for camp to be held this summer. At this point, the lake at Camp Powhatan is filling up, and awaiting 4,000 summer scouts, who will continue on the tradition. According to Grubb, camp is scheduled to start June 14. Great comeback.

Tehran "Seventeen young boys and girls who were squirting water at each other were arrested on Friday in one of the beach parks" in the city of Bandar Abbas, Homozgan province's justice chief Ali Alia said, quoted by ISNA news agency. Alia added that "five were immediately let go" and that the rest were released on bail Sunday but could face sentences for publicly committing an "act forbidden" by Islam and "insulting police officers." General Ahmad Rouzbahani, the head of the morality police, warned recently in a television appearance that police forces, in accordance with the law, "will act forcefully against this type of action and will not allow such events to happen in public places, or anywhere throughout the country." http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/08/07/iran-arrests-17-youths-over-water-fight/ Wonderful, just what I want for our kids.

What more mandatory training?

When it rains, it pours... As you know, water guns are only BSA approved to shoot at targets and likely only after a scout has undergone 5 days of safety lectures. So this got old Schiff thinking about a bankrupt traveling carnival (they were having a hard finding employees with new background check laws... ). So why not recycle their "water targets" and set up at a pilot range at the Summit. But... ran into some problems. First problem, "BSA policies prohibit the use of targets resembling any living thing." and it was quickly apparent that the bottom targets resemble some folks living in Irving. The second problem was the price tag. a proposed Summit shooting range has to be in the millions of dollars so I looked at Coney Island and DisneyWorld but their water gun venues all appear to have attendees shooting at each other, a no-no. By endurance we conquer.

May, 2015 FNH USA donated fifteen 9mm pistols consisting of their FNS-9 Standard and FNS-9 Compact models to the Marksman program at Bechtel Summit. Nice. http://www.odumagazine.com/fnh-usa-makes-donation-to-boy-scouts-of-americas-marksman-program/ Similarly two years ago, Sig Sauer donated 70 custom engraved pistols to the Bechtel summit for the 2013 Jamboree. The seventy consisted of 54 Mosquito (22 caliber) and 16 P250 (likely 9mm but other calibers possible). http://www.ammoland.com/2013/07/sig-sauer-donates-pistols-to-boy-scouts-of-america/ Hopefully all Summit BSA firearms including these 85 donated pistols have been maintained and are in a secure location in the Summit area, all ready for scouts to learn marksmanship in the coming years.

Welcome Marco. You're gut instinct, "Where is it written that the policy/procedure is ..." is right on as it makes no sense to write a reimbursement without a receipt. I agree with Stosh. We have found this write-up helpful http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Treasurer_-_Good_Practices

You will get more accurate answers by speaking to the adult leaders of the unit. But I will takes some guesses: 1. No but when you are involved with your son in Scouting in PA, i think yes. 2. Maybe. You could be cleared by FBI and PA and the BSA unit, Council, or BSA National could still reject you. 3. No. 4. If the FBI or PA reject an applicant, the BSA cannot overrule. 5. Yes, probably from you. Council is required to keep clearance records of all over 18 volunteers.

http://www.11alive.com/story/news/local/2015/05/22/atlanta-oldest-scout-honored/27811049/ Lamar Wallace is the oldest Eagle Scout at age 103. Ever since he was small, Wallace aspired to Scout's Honor. He said it's kept him in good stead. The mindset pushed Wallace to serve in Germany during World War II and, when he returned, to build his own Oklahoma home. "Anything I wanted to do, anything I had in my mind to do, I could do," Wallace said. Scout Salute

Section 6444 is the following disclosure document which you sign. http://fcbc.net/archangel/woa/mgServeFile.php?fn=0_53_public/DISCLOSURE%20STATEMENT%20for%20VOLUNTEERS.pdf If French Creek Council is correct, you may have more time "Based on the reading of this law as it stands now, currently registered volunteers with the BSA program will need to complete these checks by July 1, 2016. Adults attending camp in a leadership capacity after July 1, 2015 have two options: Option 1: All adult leaders attending camp must be registered with BSA (prior to July 1, 2015) before attending which will allow you until July 1, 2016 to complete the clearances. Option 2: All adults holding leadership positions at camp (supervising kids) must have the ACT 153 clearances which include State Police background, and Department of Child Services background check. A fingerprinting clearance (if you have NOT lived in the State of PA for more than 10 years) is also required. You can register for the fingerprinting here. A signed affidavit must be completed if you have lived more than 10 years in PA and that form can be found on frenchcreek-bsa.org/forms/Volunteer Disclosure Form PA Act 153 of 2014 " http://fcbc.net/archangel/woa/mgServeFile.php?fn=0_53_public/DISCLOSURE%20STATEMENT%20for%20VOLUNTEERS.pdf Hope this helps.

From what I read, NESA membership was required for those scholarships. Is that correct, being a plain, old Eagle scout was not sufficient to apply? Congratulation to all scholarship winners.

Good point NJ. I expected to hear a progress report regarding the 2010-2015 Strategic Plan. Anyone hear anything about that?

He threw a few crumbs our way. I see the Chief automatically getting the 10% performance (for what?) bonus so just a 10% reduction. To be transparent, just explicitly state the new Chief salary range which IMO should be $400-500K. I am not seeing the transparency. I am seeing more layers between myself and the information/help that I seek. Is it easier to become or remain a volunteer? Are we getting more volunteers? Again no numbers were presented. Maybe I am reading between the lines, but I get the impression that STEM scouting is the future direction. My $0.01

Rumor: Toys 'R Us will offer a discount on water guns to any uniformed Boy Scouts. If true, scouts may suddenly become more visible around here.

Bad Wolf wasn't there more in that pile, that Phil O. Crapply unloaded? Something about scouts not being allowed inside simulated weapons like overnight stays in WW2 battleships and aircraft carriers? BP, the old general, must be spinning. If only the BSA today had a leader with a military background such that he could distinguish between a firearm and a toy.

Maybe this compromise can be made at the Annual Meeting, those members under 18 may use water guns but adults using water guns are barred from the BSA.

I had a similar experience on Sunday. I tried to create a new topic in Unit Fundraising and got that error "You do not have permission for this action". Ok, so I tried twice to post it in Open Discussion. Each time there was no error reported and the post was never seen again. Gave up.

By all means, this fun has to stop now! from http://www.myfinalphoto.com/jubilant-squirt-on-4th-of-july/

...Well the comments are entertaining http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2015/05/06/water-guns-ok-for-target-shooting-not-for-firing-at-other-scouts/ I think my scouts will get all Charlton Heston about this.

Great idea! Plenty of Youtube animation tutorials. Free animation software (Scratch, Blender, Pencil, various simple Stick people apps ...) for various hardware platforms is easy to find. Cinema 4D Rev14 was freely available awhile ago. Autodesk Maya was free to FIRST students and mentors though it is a bear to install

Sorry to hear that your scouts' earnest and expert effort was ignored. I have scouts that started from Scratch (2D) and are now using Maya or Cinema 4D. I doubt they will bother with this MB.

Boy's Life recently posted a story with video links. http://boyslife.org/merit-badges/animation-merit-badge/ IMO, after a long delay I expected more than Easy here. This seems ready to join Fingerprinting for merit badge Saturday or camp. My $0.02

Now Atlanta seems to be booked, ditto Vegas and Disney. Could we have this, I dunno, outdoors/ Say at one of those camps for sale. Mebbe call it a woods meeting? Good Brainstorming.

Are you suggesting that we the scouters should review their strategic plan and grade it? Met Goal Partially Met Goal Failed to make progress towards goal Should not have been a goal ??

"Coraopolis, PA -- The 171st Air Refueling Wing is cancelling its annual Scouting Skills weekend this year as a result of an increase of the base's security. A directive to increase the force protection condition was issued to all Department of Defense installations in the continental United States (CONUS) last week by the U.S. Northern Command Center (USNORTHCOM). The 171st Air Refueling Wing intends to continue hosting the annual Scouting Skills event next year." http://www.171arwscoutingday.com/site/default.aspx?PageID=1 This has happened in the past to scout activities at a base when our military was placed on alert, but it just seems new and different now.

Not a bad idea. Maybe there should be an incentive for more best answers like popcorn sales. I dunno, contribute 10 best answers and win some handy electronic device to take into the woods. Contribute 100 best answers and get a Xbox, BSA edition.